Token-activated, federated access to social network information

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes one or more computing devices of a proxy server, in response to receiving a message from a token reader, generating a federated session token in relation to the message and sending a request for federated access to social-networking information of a first user of a social-networking system, where the request contains the federated session token. The method also includes one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, in response to receiving the request for federated access, validating the request based at least in part on one or more configuration settings associated with the first user and establishing a federated access session with the proxy server. The method also includes one or more computing devices of the proxy server, retrieving, by the federated access session, the social-networking information of the first user from the social-networking system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 by one or more computing devices of a proxy server, in response to receiving a message from a token reader, generating a federated session token in relation to the message; 
 by the one or more computing devices of the proxy server, sending a request for federated access to social-networking information of a first user of a social-networking system, wherein the request comprises the federated session token; 
 by one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, in response to receiving the request for federated access, validating the request based at least in part on one or more configuration settings associated with the first user; 
 by the one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, establishing a federated access session with the proxy server; 
 by the one or more computing devices of the proxy server, retrieving, by the federated access session, the social-networking information of the first user from the social-networking system. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the federated access session expires upon reaching a specified time limit. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the method further comprises mapping the token-reader identifier to access permissions associated with the first user. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the method further comprises mapping the token-reader identifier to a third-party application. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 by the one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, receiving content from the proxy server in conjunction with the federated access session; and 
 by the one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, posting the content to a user-profile page of the first user of the social-networking system, wherein the content is associated with the token reader. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by the one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, receiving, from the proxy server, a request in conjunction with the federated access session to debit a virtual currency account of the first user. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the proxy server is implemented on a computing system of the token reader. 
     
     
       8. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
 in response to a proxy server receiving a message from a token reader, generate a federated session token in relation to the message; 
 send, from the proxy server to a social-networking system, a request for federated access to social-networking information of a first user of the social-networking system, wherein the request comprises the federated session token; 
 in response to the social-networking system receiving the request for federated access, validate the request based at least in part on one or more configuration settings associated with the first user; 
 establish a federated access session between the social-networking system and the proxy server; 
 retrieve, by the federated access session, the social-networking information of the first user from the social-networking system. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the federated access session expires upon reaching a specified time limit. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to map the token-reader identifier to access permissions associated with the first user. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to map the token-reader identifier to a third-party application. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:
 receive content from the proxy server in conjunction with the federated access session; and 
 post the content to a user-profile page of the first user of the social-networking system, wherein the content is associated with the token reader. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to receive, from the proxy server, a request in conjunction with the federated access session to debit a virtual currency account of the first user. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the proxy server is implemented on a computing system of the token reader. 
     
     
       15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
 in response to a proxy server receiving a message from a token reader, generate a federated session token in relation to the message; 
 send, from the proxy server to a social-networking system, a request for federated access to social-networking information of a first user of the social-networking system, wherein the request comprises the federated session token; 
 in response to the social-networking system receiving the request for federated access, validate the request based at least in part on one or more configuration settings associated with the first user; 
 establish a federated access session between the social-networking system and the proxy server; 
 retrieve, by the federated access session, the social-networking information of the first user from the social-networking system. 
 
     
     
       16. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the federated access session expires upon reaching a specified time limit. 
     
     
       17. The media of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the software is further operable when executed to map the token-reader identifier to access permissions associated with the first user. 
 
     
     
       18. The media of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the request for federated access further comprises a token-reader identifier received in the message from the token reader; and 
 the software is further operable when executed to map the token-reader identifier to a third-party application. 
 
     
     
       19. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
 receive content from the proxy server in conjunction with the federated access session; and 
 post the content to a user-profile page of the first user of the social-networking system, wherein the content is associated with the token reader. 
 
     
     
       20. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to receive, from the proxy server, a request in conjunction with the federated access session to debit a virtual currency account of the first user. 
     
     
       21. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the proxy server is implemented on a computing system of the token reader.